One million dollar grant helps Habitat for Humanity upgrade mobile homes in disrepair

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. - Financial help may assist some financially challenged mobile homeowners with repairs to protect their property.

A new $1 million grant has just come into the Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara County (Habitat Santa Barbara).

The grant came from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to support its Critical Home Repair program.

"There's work that needs to be done. And sometimes it's more than what one person can handle," said Susan Renehan with Habitat Santa Barbara.

Many of the aging properties need work on several levels. "They were never meant to last 40, 50, sometimes even 60 years. And so these homes, over time, need major repairs that are critical to the health and safety of the homeowner," said Renehan.

The need is there. "We especially encourage anyone in a mobile home who's been cited by their community, perhaps for, needed repairs for failure to meet their community standards, that we can help."

The grant will help Habitat Santa Barbara repair and, in some cases, replace local mobile homes needing critical health and safety repairs.

There is also a program that goes beyond mobile homes already in place.

The existing Critical Home Repair program will continue to operate with funds from community and private donations.

Volunteers were trimming bushes, putting down weed blocks and cutting out big patches of vegetation.

Steve Warner was a mobile homeowner in need who was joining the volunteers on his property. His goal was, "little maintenance. That's my objective. We're going to put some more trees back there. This was all this whole corner has been impenetrable a thicket."

He also said there may be work under the house where small animals may have entered and damaged wiring.

Habitat says community members can apply for the mobile home repair program if they live between Gaviota and Carpinteria.

For more information go to: Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara County.